December 1-5
This Week's Music Around the World-Traditional and Contemporary Music-Burundi
Akazehe (1:00) (found at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wYYDlRb7JM0) akazehe is a musical tradition in Burundi practiced by the women. It is a chanted musical greeting.
Amagaba-Burundi (3:10) (found at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJTJ6Oo2Vno&list=RDEJTJ6Oo2Vno&start_radio=1) Amagaba is a professional troupe of artists who perform traditional and folk dances of Burundi. Burundi is linked very close culturally with Rwanda.
The Royal Drummers of Burundi (2:40) (found at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u7cCzKMiVvs&list=RDu7cCzKMiVvs&start_radio=1) The Royal Drummers of Burundi are a very well known and respected percussion group who perform traditional drumming for ceremonies such as births, funerals and coronations.
Eric Baranyanka-Magdalena (2:04) (found at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J7D7fNsWthQ&list=RDJ7D7fNsWthQ&start_radio=1) Baranyanka is a well-known Burundian-Belgian singer/songwriter. This is a beautiful song where he sings of his family's flight from Burundi to Europe when he was a child.
December 8-12
This Week's Music Around the World-Traditional and Contemporary Music-Kuwait
Sawt Music (3:42) (found at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JqIG0sMoYo4&list=RDJqIG0sMoYo4&start_radio=1) Sawt is a 'bluesy' style of music in Kuwait and Bahrain usually played on oud and the mirwas drums. The dance performed by two men is the zaffon.
Fijiri Music (2:54) (found at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tFyw34Iu6u0&list=RDtFyw34Iu6u0&start_radio=1) fijiri is the traditional music of the pearl divers of the coastal states of the Arabian Peninsula. It is sung with the mires and the jāhlah (clay pot played with two hands). I found some fancy modern renditions of fijiri done with symphony orchestra but chose this more traditional rendition.
Kuwaiti Kids (4:03) (found at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wVvGbQcZkDk&list=RDwVvGbQcZkDk&start_radio=1) I found this and couldn't resist. This is apparently a mix of traditional Kuwaiti tunes mixed with modern and is a song telling about Kuwait's history before oil. It was filmed for their Independence and National Day.
Essa Al Marzouq-Either Kuwait or Not (2:14) (found at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q89Rkb3_4zg&list=RDq89Rkb3_4zg&start_radio=1) Essa Al Marzouq is a very popular star in the Gulf States and Middle East. This is a sort of love song to Kuwait.
December 15-19
This Week's Music Around the World-Traditional and Contemporary Music-Togo
Traditional Song (5:27) (found at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25cWcX1spg8&list=PL06EBC095E44F4EC2) A traditional style song and dance from Togo
Gyil Xylophone (4:00) (edited from film found at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQPNo0Lk9AY&list=RDDQPNo0Lk9AY&start_radio=1) As in the surrounding countries of Burkina Faso, Ghana and Benin the gyil xylophone with the cycling rhythms played on it are a traditional and popular instrument in Togo.
Jimi Hope-Agbébavi (4:11) (found at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8uBryhm2FI&list=RDI8uBryhm2FI&start_radio=1) Jimi Hope is one of the all time popular musicians in Togo. He is singing this song in one of the majority languages of Togo which is Ewe.
Toofan-C'est Pas Normal (3:28) (found at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=msf4LGLOL_k&list=RDmsf4LGLOL_k&start_radio=1) Toofan is a band from Togo that is very popular across Africa and Europe.